The Digression
by Indy'sEndymion
Summary: Set during the Fate of the Jedi series. Luke and Ben land on Tatooine, where Luke runs into some old "friends". Ben sees a whole other side to his father. Luke is a bit darker here (angrier and less Jedi Master-ish, but not Dark Side-ish). Rated M for possible upcoming chapters, but right now it's pretty safe. Possible spoilers for Fate of the Jedi.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the **_**Star Wars**_**.**

**Setting/Time: Tatooine, during Fate of the Jedi (after Outcast). This might be considered AU, but I'm not sure.**

**Differences: Timeline is moved up – Luke is 44 years old (I don't like thinking of him as being in his 60s); the Vong war never happened (because I think that whole storyline was rubbish), though somehow Jacen still turned to the dark side and killed Mara, and consequently Jaina killed her brother. Chewbacca never died. Other possible differences will either be explained, or they exist because I'm not familiar with many of the books (for instance, I never read the Legacy era stuff or the swarm war stuff). **

**This story will feature Camie and Fixer. I realize more has been written about them since the novelization of "A New Hope", but the novelization is only what I will consider. Finally, Luke's childhood was a bit darker, and consequently, he was not quite so naïve as he is portrayed in Ep. IV. He's still an all-around good guy hero though.**

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

I.

Luke Skywalker came out of the refresher of his late wife's ship wearing a pair of black pants. They were the sort that were comfortable to sleep in but were tough enough to withstand combat, should he need to spring into action suddenly. He toweled off his hair — damp from the hot sanisteam he'd just enjoyed — and made his way to where his son was. Ben, hungry as usual, was in the kitchen.

"Hey dad, do you want a bantha burger?"

Luke thought for a moment but then shook his head and ran the towel over his well-muscled chest and abdominals. He threw the towel into his bedchamber and reached for some dark green leaves. He dressed them lightly with oil made from a delicious native Dorin plant and said, "I've been feeling sluggish lately and I think it's because I haven't had any greens in a long time. Plus, do you know how long that has been in the freezer? I think I'll pass."

"Sluggish?" Ben said sardonically, "Well we **have** just returned to the land of the living, that's probably why. But that's no reason you can't enjoy a delicious dead bantha."

The Jedi Grandmaster chuckled at his son's dry humor — such like his mother he was — and then grew serious. "True, but that's exactly why I have no need for meat right now. I don't wish to take another sentient being's life into me so soon after returning from the dead. You know I think there isn't anything inherently wrong with eating meat, as long as the animal lived a happy life and came to a dignified end, but still, no death should be taken lightly – even a delicious bantha's. Every time we eat meat we must remember that we are being sustained by an animal's death, and we must be grateful. My Aunt Beru's family had a long held tradition that when we consume a sentient being, we take its life into our own."

Ben sighed. **Must** everything be a lesson? But he knew his father was right. "Okay dad," he said, "you're right, I should be more thankful to the bantha. But didn't you used to bulls eye womprats in your T-16? Or is that just legend?"

"No, I never did that." Luke rolled his eyes.

"You didn't? But then why does everyone say you did?"

"Well because I told people I did. I lied because some of the guys were thinking the shot needed to take out the Death Star was impossible. I knew it wasn't so I made up the story about the womprats. I'm not **actually** a psychopath, you know."

"Oh," Ben said. "Well that's good I suppose. Do you really believe what Aunt Beru did?"

"You know, I'm not sure," Luke shrugged and grew a sly grin, "but it makes sense, from a certain point of view."

"Agh!" Ben exclaimed in mock anger, "You and my namesake can shove the point-of-view!"

Luke laughed heartily. He did so love to rile his boy up. He finished eating his greens and saw that Ben was finished with his burger. "Okay Ben, as fascinating as Dorin is, I'm ready to get out of here. Go plot a course for the Kathol Sector. We need to go to the Rift."

"Okay dad, copy that." Ben started walking to the helm of the _Shadow_.

"Hey!" Luke called, "We're not in **that** big a hurry. Put your dishes in the washer first."

Ben grumbled as he shuffled back into the kitchen, but he did as he was told. Luke walked back to his bedchamber and began a moving meditation sequence. He gathered up a ball of Force energy and, through the gentle push and pull of his arms, and the dip and rise of his legs, he made the energy dance.

"HEY DAD! DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE HYDIAN WAY AND THEN HAVE THE NAVICOMP FEED US STRAIGHT INTO THE RIMMA TRADE ROUTE? - OR DO YOU WANT US TO RIDE THE HYDIAN ALL THE WAY AND THEN AFTERWARDS MAKE OUR WAY TO KATHOL?"

_Typical_, Luke thought. Instead of calmly walking the short distance from the helm or, even better, using the intercom, Ben had decided to yell loudly. Luke sighed and walked to where his son sat in the pilot's seat. "Ya just had to bellow like a Tusken, didn't you? Take whichever route is more interesting. Or whichever the Force tells you to take."

"Well that's… cryptic." Ben said.

Luke ignored his son's comment and said, "And now I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me before we make the jump to hyperspace."

Ben nodded, his playfulness gone. He could see his father was tired.


	2. Chapter 2

II.

Luke awoke to the sound of a blaring alarm system. He dashed to the cockpit to find his son frantically trying to input something in the navicomp. "What's wrong?"

"It says we're on a collision course with something! I've got to bring us out of hyperspace!" Ben said, pulling back on the hyperdrive lever.

The hypnotic swirling blue of hyperspeed slowed, and the black of space overtook them. To the left of center in the viewport shone twin stars and a yellow planet loomed to their front.

"Where are we?" Ben asked his father. He looked over to the navicomp to tell him, but it read 'Error.'

Luke Skywalker sighed and heaved himself into the co-pilot's chair. He didn't need the navicomp to tell him. "Tatooine. We're looking at Tatooine, Ben." He threw and uncharacteristic growl and glare at his son, "How the **kriff** did we get here?"

Ben blinked. His father never cursed. And he usually didn't get angry either, **especially** at him, the beloved son. "Umm, I mean I don't know dad. I plotted our course to take us through the Rimma Trade Route, but somehow we got sidetracked." Ben hit a button on the navicomp, hoping to display a history of their last jumps. It still read 'Error.' "I'm not sure, but I'm guessing instead of riding the Hydian all the way to the RTR, it spit us out early and put us onto the Corellian Run."

Luke gritted his teeth and slightly raised his voice, "Why didn't you do it the safe way and bring us out of hyperspace before entering a new lane? You know it's not always safe to trust the navicomp to put us directly from one to another. Plus, didn't I tell you to wake me before making the jump?"

"Well, yeah you did tell me to wake you, but you looked so tired and I just wanted you to rest. I'm sorry, dad. I should have woken you up and I should have plotted the jumps the safe way." Ben bit his lip and looked down. He hated to feel his father's disappointment.

"No," Luke started, "I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean to snap at you. And I'm not disappointed in you. You could never disappoint me."

"Really?" Ben looked up.

"Well… only if you turn to the dark side." Luke grinned. He continued, "I guess I'm just irritated at being here. I don't like coming back here." Luke looked at his home planet through the viewport. "And now I'm irritated with myself for losing my temper."

"I wondered at that," Ben said, "I don't think I've ever seen your temper."

"I usually have it locked down, but you're right that I'm tired. I guess this going-on-the-lam thing is getting to me."

"It's okay dad." Ben smiled. It felt kind of good to see his father act like a human once in a while, instead of the imperturbable Grandmaster Jedi all the time.

"Well son," Luke said, sounding dejected, "I guess you get to finally see where you old man is from. We'll have to land and try to get that navicomp fixed."

"That's right! I've never been here!"

"Don't get your hopes up. There's not much here for teenage boys to do, believe me. It's a kriffin' boring, blazing, forceforsaken rock." Luke grumbled.

"That's twice now with the cursing. What's going on?" Ben asked.

"I guess this place just brings out the worst in me." Luke said, casting his eyes to the side and leaning his head against his backrest. He shrugged, "Well, let's get on with it then."


End file.
